Associated Press photo Michael Jordan becomes emotional as he takes the stage at Symphony Hall during the ceremony for his enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009.

SPRINGFIELD - Yvonne Mitchell has lived in Springfield for nearly 35 years, but Friday night was the first time she had gone to see anything connected with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.

The 57-year-old Mitchell, who was among a group of fans standing across the street from Symphony Hall, said she was drawn to Court Square by Michael Jordan.

She was not alone.

Jordan, considered by many the greatest basketball player of all time, was the star of stars among perhaps the greatest enshrinement class in history, a group that included David Robinson, John Stockton, Jerry Sloan and C. Vivian Stringer.

Another Springfield resident, Andrea G. Hillman, also said Jordan was the reason she was standing outside the hall.

"He stands for excellence in something, which we want our children to strive for," said Hillman, whose daughter Brittanie, a senior at Johnson & Wales University, came from Rhode Island to be outside Symphony Hall.

The new Hall of Famers arrived one by one, beginning with Stringer, who was followed by Stockton, Sloan and Robinson before Jordan, who was greeted with a loud cheer.

Other past and current stars who attended the induction included Dennis Rodman, Isiah Thomas, Scottie Pippen, Danny Ainge, John Havlicek, Charles Barkley and Tim Duncan, who, when asked about Robinson as a teammate on the San Antonio Spurs, called him "the best of the best."

Despite Jordan's overwhelming popularity, four men from Utah made their support for Stockton very visible: Bart R. Liechty of Logan, John C. Poulton of Bountiful, Robert W. Theurer of North Salt Lake, and Adam M. Sanders of Farmington each wore a Jazz jersey with Stockton's number 12.

"He's the best. He was the best," said Liechty, 30.

Stockton may have been overshadowed by Jordan on Friday night, but ...

"In Utah, he never got overlooked," Liechty said.

There was also, however, recognition of Sloan, who coaches the Jazz. Liechty, Poulton, Theurer and Sanders chanted "Jer-ry, Jer-ry" when Sloan arrived at Symphony Hall, and the coach did a double take in looking at the quartet.

"It's a big Utah day," said Poulton, 26.

Poulton also said this year's class was likely the best in the history of the Hall of Fame.

Thomas, himself a Hall of Famer, clarified that on his way into Symphony Hall. While speaking about whether this is the greatest class in history, Thomas said: "Any time it's Jordan, Stockton, Robinson and Vivian Stringer, that answer would be yes."